1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing-tackle gear and, more particularly, to a manually operated device for the retrieval of a fishing lure which has become snagged or fouled on an underwater object.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well recognized that anglers and sport fishermen incur a heavy loss of relatively expensive fishing lures and plugs by virtue of their becoming ensnared on a wide variety of objects under the water which cannot be detected by the angler, since they are not visible to his observation. That this is a substantial problem to the fishing sport enthusiast is apparent from the large variety of fishing lure retrievers that may be found in the prior art. Those devices of the prior art fall into mostly four categories. One category of retriever relies upon a heavy weight following the fishing line down to the lure which relies upon repeated impact of the heavy retriever on the lure for the purpose of dislodging the snagged hook from the underwater object. Another class of device relies upon grappling hooks which will hopefully seize the underwater object for the purpose of pulling it to the surface, or breaking it, so that the lure is thereby freed. The third type of device relies upon suitable means such as chains which will become ensnared in one of the free hooks mounted on the lure, thereby permitting a solid parcel to be obtained thereon so that it may be pulled free of the underwater object. The fourth device relies upon the retrieving unit following the line down to some portion of the tackle forward of the lure on which a grip may be obtained for the purpose of pulling the lure free. A typical device is one which is lowered to the point where it attaches onto one of the barrel or snap swivels in proximity to the lure, thereby allowing it to be pulled free.
Exemplary of the prior art devices which rely on the weight of the retrieving unit impacting the lure and thereby loosening the hooks, is U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,061, issued to R. E. Waltamath. This device, like all of the impact type devices, can only function if the lure itself is out in the open and only the hook is somewhat obscured by the underwater object. If the hook is on the underside of a log and the lure is wrapped around the log, there is no possible way that the impact type lure retriever can reach the lure in order to impact it. Moreover, even in those cases where the impact is possible, the fishhook that is snagged is not rigidly affixed to the lure but is usually swivelled and free swinging so that little of the force of impact is transmitted to the hook itself, but simply swings the lure off into a direction to one side or the other. Another device of the impact variety is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,366, issued to Eugene R. Gates. It likewise is only able to function by means of loosening the hook by impact if the lure is in the open allowing a clean shot at the lure with the impact device.
Both of the foregoing patents referenced above also are exemplary of the devices which have grappling means for engaging the submerged obstruction, such as a branch, rock, or other obstruction. However, these devices are constructed in such a manner as to put the grappling hooks only in the general proximity of the area of obstruction and rely upon a relatively open environment to allow the hook or bill portion of the grappling hooks to obtain a bite on the submarine obstruction at some point below where the lure is hooked thereto. Only by getting below or beyond the hook is it possible for the grappling hooks to tear loose the obstruction or allow its being brought to the surface. Referring to that in the Waltamath device, it will be difficult for the grappling hook to proceed much beyond the snagged hook in the fishing lure, since the slideway or keeper will become hung up on the lure or the lure hook. In the Gates device, the eyelet which guides the retrieving unit down the main fishing line is somewhat farther removed from the grappling hooks, but this produces the unsatisfactory result of allowing the grappling hooks to swing out from the alignment with the line whereby it will grapple with objects that are not in the proximity of the fishing lure.
An example of a prior art device which relies upon engagement with the swivel just forward of the ensnared lure, is U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,655, issued to H. K. Switzer. This device has an opening which permits the unit to follow the main fishing line down to the swivel where it will engage the swivel to allow a firm grip on the lure assembly. Again, this device is functional only if there is an open and clear shot at the lure and the line proceding the point of engagement is not further ensnared or in contact with underwater obstructions.
Further example of a retrieving unit that relies upon gripping the swivel snap, is U.S. Pat. No. 2,915,845, issued to F. C. Hughes. This device operates in a very similar fashion as the Switzer device and likewise relies upon there being a comparatively open and free access to the swivel.
There are numerous devices which rely upon a retrieving unit containing depending, free-hook-ensnaring means. A typical device is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,955, issued to I. L. Lockwood, which shows a depending curtain of small chains which are placed in the proximity of the snagged lure, so that, hopefully, one of the chains will become ensnared in one of the free hooks of the lure, thereby permitting its being pulled free of the obstruction.
The above are simply exemplary of the prior art showing the various kinds of retrieving units for freeing fishing lures from underwater obstructions. Invariably, the specific means employed by the prior art devices assume one particular condition of ensnarement. Most of the devices rely upon the snared lure being in relatively open water at the point directly above the point of ensnarement. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide for alternative lines of attack for purposes of freeing the ensnared lure, since the angler generally has no information as to just what the circumstances are in the vicinity of the ensnared lure. The angler is not able to see into the water in order to develop the most sound engineering approach to obtaining a parcel on the lure or the submarine obstruction so as to permit its retrieval. This is a fundamental and significant feature of the present invention, which recognizes that the angler as a problem solver is unable to determine the nature of his problem and is usually completely without information as to just how his lure is snagged on the underwater obstruction. Faced with this unknown, he needs at his disposal a device which will permit a variety of approaches for freeing the lure and the process of trying the various alternatives invariably helps him develop a fairly accurate picture of the manner in which the lure is ensnared, thereby permitting him to not waste time on ineffective approaches but concentrate on the approach which is most likely to succeed.